University of Wisconsin President Ray Cross on Tuesday asked the Legislature's budget-writing committee to approve a new public authority for the UW System, a "dedicated and stable funding stream" and to reduce the governor's proposed $300 million budget cut over the next two years.

Shortly after he finished his testimony, a handful of protesters burst into the room shouting, "No cuts, no deals." Followed by four Capitol police officers, the protesters marched past the table where Cross was sitting to give testimony before the Joint Committee on Finance.

If Park Bank is liable for not spotting Sujata "Sue" Sachdeva's $34 million embezzlement from Koss Corp. and has to reimburse the company, Koss Chief Executive Michael Koss should also be ordered to personally pay the public company he runs, the bank argues in a new lawsuit.

Grant Thornton, Koss Corp.'s former auditor, should also have to pay a portion of any award that may be ordered, Park Bank argued in the latest twist in a long-running court fight stemming from Sachdeva's massive embezzlement.

"Park Bank denies any and all liability to Koss in this case," the bank said in its action. "Nevertheless, should Park Bank be found liable to Koss (Corp.) and required to pay damages to Koss, in this case, those damages will have been the result of a common liability of Park Bank, Michael Koss and Grant Thornton, thereby entitling Park Bank to (a) contribution from Michael Koss and Grant Thornton."(6)

Blog Archive

Posts for February, 2014

New York - Packers RB Eddie Lacy has been named the Associated Press offensive rookie of the year.

The award was presented at the NFLHonors ceremony at Radio City Music Hall.

"Honestly, as weird as it sounds, I'm not a guy who sets goals," Lacy said. "As an athlete you want to, there should be some goal you aim for, but to me it's just taking care of every moment that you have and at the end whatever happens, happens. I just wanted to do the best I can. | Feb. 1, 2014»Read Full Blog Post(63)

Green Bay --- Ticket prices were raised by the Green Bay Packers for the fifth straight year Monday. The team announced that all general seating tickets will cost an additional $3.

With the increase, the 2014 prices now are as follows:

End zone seats – $77

South end zone, 700 Level – $85

End zone to the 20-yard line – $88

South end zone, 600 Level – $92

Between the 20-yard lines – $100

“Our goal for ticket pricing is to be just below the league average,” team president Mark Murphy said in the annual release to season-ticket holders. “With this increase, we project to rank 17th in average ticket price, which accomplishes the goal and maintains a fair visiting team contribution, as well. We’re confident our top-rated Lambeau Field experience remains a great value for (ticket holders).” | Feb. 3, 2014»Read Full Blog Post(52)

(Note: In the days leading up to the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis, we'll talk to college coaches in previewing each position)

Green Bay — At the NFL scouting combine last year, Wisconsin's Montee Ball said he "owed a lot" to Curtis Martin. Like Martin, he was durable in college. Like Martin, there were questions about Ball's speed. Look at the numbers, Ball said then. Through 924 carries, he fumbled twice.

The Denver Broncos banked on Ball's durability, taking the running back in the second round. And in a complementary role as a rookie, Ball overcame a sloppy start to finish with 559 rushing yards on 120 attempts with four touchdowns. | Feb. 3, 2014»Read Full Blog Post(11)

Green Bay --- Nick Collins has not given up hope on playing football again.

The Packers safety who suffered a neck injury Week 2 of the 2011 season and was eventually released by the team made it clear on Twitter Monday that he still wants to play. In back-to-back tweets (see below), Collins said he is "ready for action" and "ready to dominate."

Green Bay's medical staff would not clear Collins the off-season after the 2011 season and he has not played in the two seasons since. Now 30 years old, Collins underwent cervical fusion surgery. | Feb. 4, 2014»Read Full Blog Post(28)

Green Bay --- These past few weeks, it's been a pair of new-age quarterbacks (Colin Kaepernick, Russell Wilson) and future Hall-of-Famers (Tom Brady, Peyton Manning) in the headlines. Aaron Rodgers was a spectator for another year as the playoffs progressed deep into January.

After the quarterback's frustrating, injury-shortened 2013 season -- and the emergence of others -- former league MVP Rich Gannon said this past weekend he still sees Rodgers as one of the top quarterbacks in the game and doesn't think Rodgers should change his game after the fractured collarbone. | Feb. 5, 2014»Read Full Blog Post(15)

In a double dose of Packers podcasts, Tyler Dunne and Bob McGinn of the Journal Sentinel discuss the Super Bowl and the Senior Bowl.

In their Super Bowl podcast, they talk about how the Packers' defense compares to the Seahawks' and about Bob's Top 25 QBs list published Super Bowl Sunday. Listen to the streaming audio here or download the mp3 file here.

Green Bay — The Green Bay Packers’ defensive line will probably look much different in 2014 than it did in 2013. Who stays and who goes will be a fluid situation this off-season.

B.J. Raji, Ryan Pickett, C.J. Wilson and Johnny Jolly are all free agents. Datone Jones and Josh Boydcould see expanded roles in Year 2. Maybe Jerel Worthy is a different player one full year removed from his torn ACL. One sure thing? Mike Daniels as an interior rusher. | Feb. 5, 2014»Read Full Blog Post(48)

Green Bay - Ron Zook, the former head coach at Illinois and Florida, has been hired as assistant special teams coach by the Green Bay Packers, the Journal Sentinel has learned.

Zook, 59, will replace Chad Morton, who will not return after five seasons on coach Mike McCarthy's staff.

McCarthy and Zook have history. In 2000 and '01, McCarthy was the offensive coordinator and Zook was the defensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints under coach Jim Haslett. | Feb. 7, 2014»Read Full Blog Post(1)

Green Bay — The world saw Richard Sherman shout, talk trash and mock opponents. His antics served as the topic du jour through January into February. But between the whistles, Sherman is also a rarity in today’s NFL — a 6-foot-3, 195-pound cornerback.

In the words of one college coach, this type of player is the "LeBron James" in football. | Feb. 7, 2014»Read Full Blog Post(14)

Green Bay — For five years, the Green Bay Packers have tried converting defensive ends to outside linebacker. Kevin Greene squeezed out as much as he could from undrafted players and low-round picks --- and Nick Perry’s injury problems didn’t help.

But maybe what Winston Moss and the Packers need opposite Clay Matthews is a linebacker who played linebacker in college. The transition is difficult, as Jason Gildon and others pointed out in Mobile last month.

With more pressing needs, it may be difficult for the Packers to invest another first-rounder in the position. In their dream world, both Perry and DE Datone Jones emerge as reliable playmakers in 2014. But don’t be surprised if general manager Ted Thompson takes another stab at it. The Packers return Perry, Andy Mulumba, Nate Palmer and, possibly, free agent Mike Neal. | Feb. 10, 2014»Read Full Blog Post

Green Bay --- Outside linebacker Mike Taylor has signed with the Seattle Seahawks, a source said. The former Wisconsin Badger and Ashwaubenon native had a trying rookie season, but will now join the defending Super Bowl champions.

His pro career has been stunted by a lingering sports hernia. Taylor first missed the 2013 NFL scouting combine after an operation in January, and then also missed his pro day before finally receiving his first NFL look in early October when he worked out for the Packers.

Green Bay - Packers coach Mike McCarthy said that he is in the process of evaluating everything that happened on defense last season and creating a vision for how he would like coordinator Dom Capers' unit to look next season.

McCarthy said some of the changes he wants are more multiple alignments and personnel packages that take advantage of the individual talents on defense, something he said was limited due to the number of injuries suffered throughout the season.

At the same time, he is formulating his vision, the defensive coaches are analyzing all the things that went wrong the second half of the season and making sure they have their own vision of what this year's defense should look like. As they pore through hours of game and practice tape, they are gaining more insight into where the adjustments must be made. | Feb. 10, 2014»Read Full Blog Post(97)

Green Bay - Soon after Alex Van Pelt joined the Packers two years ago to coach the running backs, he took his seat in a team meeting and started to chat up the guy sitting next to him.

It happened to be Aaron Rodgers.

From that point forward, Van Pelt and Rodgers talked frequently, sharing stories and insights about playing the quarterback position. Van Pelt had played for nine seasons in Buffalo, including three as a backup to five-time Pro Bowl selection Jim Kelly, and had continued on coaching quarterbacks until he landed the running backs job on Mike McCarthy's staff. | Feb. 11, 2014»Read Full Blog Post

Green Bay — As free agency nears, Jermichael Finley and his agent remain hopeful the tight end will be cleared to play football again relatively soon.

Joseph Maroon, the neurosurgeon who performed surgery on the Green Bay Packers tight end’s bruised spine, informed them that there’s a “99.9%” chance the fusion will fully heal. At that point, agent Blake Baratz said this week, Maroon would clear Finley for “full football activity.”

Considering Maroon is a Pittsburgh Steelers' team physician, that'd be one potential green light Finley hopes turns into more across the league. | Feb. 12, 2014»Read Full Blog Post(124)

Green Bay --- Bigger decisions at tight end are around the corner for the Green Bay Packers. But on Thursday, the team signed second-year pro Raymond Webber.

The 6-foot-2, 237-pound Webber out of Arkansas Pine-Bluff originally entered the league as an undrafted free agent with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in July 2011. He spent that season on injured reserve, was with the New York Jets through the 2012 exhibition season and then was part of the Calgary Stampeders' training camp in 2013 before being cut.

A wide receiver in college, he finished with 180 receptions for 2,376 yards and 16 touchdowns. He broke out as a senior when the team switched offensive coordinators and went to a more wide-open offense. That 2010 season, Webber had 101 catches for 1,429 yards and 10 scores.

The only other player to reach the 100-catch plateau in the Southwestern Athletic Conference is Jerry Rice. As the St. Louis Post-Dispatch noted the year he entered the draft, Webber has been clocked at 4.50 in the 40-yard dash. He now joins a Packers tight end group that may be in flux. | Feb. 13, 2014(41)

Green Bay - From a reporter's standpoint, you don't see a lot of evidence that the kind of bullying and intimidation that went on in the Miami Dolphins locker room goes on in the Green Bay Packers locker room.

But reporters only see a fraction of the interaction between players, and like the Dolphins, the Packers could easily keep all the poisonous insults behind closed doors.

Green Bay - Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider plucked one of Packers GM Ted Thompson's roster cuts during the 2010 season and turned him into a starter, so he figured why not give it a try again.

A little more than three years after Schneider signed Breno Giacomini off the Packers' practice squad - Thompson had cut him during training camp and gambled he could keep him around the practice squad as insurance - Schneider moved quickly to sign OL Greg Van Roten, who was released by the Packers Tuesday.

After a year in the system, Giacomini started eight games in 2011 and became the full-time starter at right tackle in 2012. | Feb. 14, 2014»Read Full Blog Post(80)

With the 2014 off-season underway, general manager Ted Thompson must decide which avenue is best in addressing specific needs. Sounds simple enough. But that might be a strange conversation at 1265 Lombardi Ave. For the first time in years, the Green Bay Packers could mine free agency for starters. Multiple starters.

Green Bay - The best case scenario for the Green Bay Packers if they are serious about keeping CB Sam Shields and NT B.J. Raji would be to sign both to long-term deals before other teams can start negotiating with unrestricted free agents March 8.

They have more than enough salary cap room -- more than $28 million if the 2014 cap comes in at a projected $126.3 million -- to put the franchise / transition tag on either one.

Green Bay — He coached James Jones at San Jose State, the receiver who would eventually gut through cracked ribs with the Green Bay Packers. Jones poured himself into practice.

“James was an extremely hard worker,” Oregon State receivers coach Brent Brennan said, “but this kid’s even more than that.”

The "kid" is Brandin Cooks, one of many first- and second-round wide receiver prospects in this year’s draft. Clemson’s Sammy Watkins, USC’s Marqise Lee and Texas A&M’s Mike Evans may be the cream of the crop. But there’s a good chance Cooks lights up the NFL scouting combine this week in Indianapolis. | Feb. 17, 2014»Read Full Blog Post(7)

Green Bay - The Green Bay Packers' tailgate tour will reach Michigan's Upper Peninsula and among the players who will take part are K Mason Crosby and LB Brad Jones and former Packers Paul Coffman, Lynn Dickey and James Lofton.

The club announced that the tour will run from April 15-19, about a month earlier than it was last year.

Green Bay — Running back Michael Hill, the young, practice squad prospect Green Bay lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the season, is headed back to the Packers.

Hill, who was signed to the Packers’ practice squad Sept. 2, finished the season with the Buccaneers, but after Tampa Bay cleaned house at the end of the season, it let Hill go, allowing him to sign with any team in the NFL.

According to his agent, Harold Lewis, four teams were interested in signing him — the Packers, Indianapolis, San Diego and San Francisco — but Hill wanted to come back to the Packers and agreed to terms on a deal Tuesday. | Feb. 18, 2014»Read Full Blog Post(139)

Green Bay -- Last year was all about the 300-pounders. Eric Fisher,Luke Joeckel and Lane Johnson went No. 1, No. 2 and No. 4 overall.

Rebuilding teams prioritized offensive tackle.

And way down at No. 109 overall, the Green Bay Packers took David Bakhtiari, who ended up starting all season at left tackle. Not bad bang for their buck. Green Bay probably won't be going O-Line early this year. Who lines up where is the question. Health, above player acquisition, is the key for this group. Tackles Bryan Bulaga and Derek Sherrod return, as does second-year C/G J.C. Tretter.| Feb. 18, 2014»Read Full Blog Post(52)

Indianapolis --- Welcome from Indy where it's a brisk 45 degrees. Just a programming note that we'll be reporting live from the 2014 NFL Scouting Combine all week, beginning Wednesday. Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy and general manager Ted Thompson are scheduled to speak to reporters Friday with draft prospects at all positions talking through Sunday. We'll have stories, blog posts and video from Lucas Oil Stadium at JS Online.

The positions groups that will conduct interviews with the media today are:

Indianapolis - If a report from ESPN.com reporter Adam Schefter is correct and the salary cap is projected to go to $130 million, the Packers will have more than $31 million of room when the league year begins.

Those numbers aren't final and there will be adjustments that will affect the number. The final salary cap number will be out sometime around March 11, which is the start of free agency and the new league year. | Feb. 20, 2014»Read Full Blog Post(32)

But really, improvement on 'D' starts first with the last two players they drafted in the first round --- outside linebacker Nick Perry (2012) and defensive end Datone Jones (2013).

One prospect who has trickled into the interview room is UCLA guard Xavier Su'a Filo, who faced Jones in college. Su'a Filo took a two-year Mormon mission in the middle of his collegiate career, but did face Jones regularly in practice before and after leaving. | Feb. 20, 2014»Read Full Blog Post(2)

Indianapolis - Former Wisconsin guard Ryan Groy isn't sure how many teams will interview him during his time at the scouting combine, but one session he had Wednesday night was memorable.

Groy said among the teams who interviewed him was the Green Bay Packers.

"I met with the Packers," Groy said Thursday. "I met with the offensive line coach (James Campen). Good experience. I met with about 10 teams and a lot of the offensive line coaches. They want to go over what you know and they want to kind of pick your brain as far as what kind of plays you ran, how much football IQ you have." | Feb. 20, 2014»Read Full Blog Post(6)

Indianapolis - It's a different kind of bravado than what Jermichael Finley showed during his time with the Packers, but University of Washington TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins could probably put his up against Finley's any day of the week.

In his interview session at the combine Thursday, Seferian-Jenkins did not display an iota of doubt about his ability to make a splash in the NFL, indicating he could flourish in any offense because of his skills as a receiver and blocker.

"I think there's a lot of talented guys in this draft class at every position and specifically at the tight end position you have a lot of great players themselves," Seferian-Jenkins said. "I've split out, played receiver, I've been a fullback, I've been in-line. I think I've shown I'm very capable of being a play-maker down the seam (and) regular routes. | Feb. 20, 2014»Read Full Blog Post(2)

Indianapolis - If he can get in the right offense. Iowa TE C.J. Fiedorowicz would like to do what Rob Gronkowski has done for the New England Patriots.

In short, be a match-up nightmare who is as comfortable lining up in the slot as he is with his hand in the ground.

Fiedorowicz compares favorably to the 6-6, 265-pound Gronkowski in height and weight, but a key measure of his potential to be a dual threat will be his 40-yard dash time and vertical leap. The 6-5 1/2, 265-pound Fiedorowicz would like to match the 4.68-second time and 33 1/2-inch jump Gronkowski recorded at his Arizona pro day in 2010. | Feb. 20, 2014»Read Full Blog Post(12)

On this week... The interviews are very important. The workouts are important but the video and the video you have afterward is very resourceful. But the biggest thing, particularly with the NFL Network and the atmosphere they created, it's a big stage they created. So you see how guys react to that process.

On new coaching staffs in NFC North... Go about it like we always do. We have a week we dedicate to each opponent. Obviously with Minnesota, we'll look at a lot of Cincinnati film. With scheduling, division games come later so after teams get 4, 5 games under their belt, their identity becomes a little more clear. | Feb. 21, 2014»Read Full Blog Post(4)

Indianapolis --- To the surprise of nobody, Packers G.M. Ted Thompson did not say much at the NFL scouting combine. No revelations on free agents. No specifics on the NFL draft. Once he was finished at the podium, Thompson even paused and joked, "That was scintillating, wasn’t it?"

Still, Thompson did hit on a variety of topics both at the podium and in the Lucas Oil Stadium lobby.

Indianapolis --- There was a brief moment of deja vu this morning at Lucas Oil Stadium. Again, coach Mike McCarthy was asked about the San Francisco 49ers. Again he was asked about Colin Kaepernick.

How does Green Bay -- once and for all -- close that gap?

McCarthy has never been a fan of that question. But in his answer this year, he did touch on one looming change to the Packers' defense. In 2014, Green Bay wants individual defensive players to handle more responsibility. | Feb. 21, 2014»Read Full Blog Post(43)

Indianapolis —Ted Thompson has hit the bull’s eye at wide receiver drafts past. This year’s class is rich with receivers.

Could the G.M. go wide receiver again?

Good luck getting an answer from Thompson on that one. But as the receivers continue to trickle through the media room at Lucas Oil Stadium, it’s clear that Thompson will have many options. And there is uncertainty at the position with veteran James Jones hitting free agency next month. | Feb. 21, 2014»Read Full Blog Post(15)

Indianapolis --- The track record of Wisconsin running backs in the NFL is not pretty. Backs in Madison get to the pros, sure. But in 42 combined seasons, Brent Moss, Terrell Fletcher, Aaron Stecker, Ron Dayne, Michael Bennett, Brian Calhoun, P.J. Hill, John Clay and Montee Ball have combined for one 1,000-yard season.

Indianapolis - In the NFL, familiarity breeds comfort and so whenever a coach leaves one team for another, he's likely to have interest in some of his former players.

That very well could be the case with the New York Giants and offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo.

The Giants are in a transition period with 21 unrestricted free agents, injury questions on the offensive line and an unsettled backfield. They typically address their needs in the draft, but they are not afraid to spend on free agents, too. | Feb. 22, 2014»Read Full Blog Post(12)

Indianapolis --- Michael Sam would love people to ask about football, about his training. But the dozens upon dozens of reporters weren't crowding his podium Saturday to talk X's and O's.

In his first press conference since announcing he was gay, the Missouri defensive end hit on a wide range of subjects. Here are a handful of highlights from his 12-minute media session...

On if he's concerned about opposing fans... “No, I’ve been getting all kinds of great, positive (reaction) from all kinds of fans. When I’m on the field, I really don’t focus on fans. So I just focus on my responsibility, which is the guy right across from me.” | Feb. 22, 2014»Read Full Blog Post(3)

Indianapolis --- Long ago, the Packers uncovered LeRoy Butler at Florida State. And as Butler himself noted a month ago, this Seminoles' championship defense has a pair of defensive backs worth a look.

They're shorter than their peers. But both Terrence Brooks and Lamarcus Joyner are mid-round prospects.

Joyner was a jack-of-all-trades pinball in the Seminoles' defense, playing at a variety of spots. The 5-foot-11 Brooks wasn't afraid to label himself the best player on his Florida State defense and the best safety in the draft. | Feb. 23, 2014»Read Full Blog Post(3)

Indianapolis — At safety, Green Bay will have options this off-season. In free agency. In the draft. Ted Thompson can upgrade the position

But count on the Packers looking internally as well.

As coach Mike McCarthy indicated, Micah Hyde could be moved from corner to safety. Sean Richardson will get his full off-season, too. The 6-foot-2, 216-pounder returned from his neck injury late last season. | Feb. 24, 2014»Read Full Blog Post(6)

Indianapolis --- Humans this big aren't supposed to run this fast. Maybe the most anticipated event at the 2014 NFL scouting combine was Jadeveon Clowney in the 40-yard dash.

The South Carolina defensive end did not disappoint. Clowney --- a 266-pound man --- ran the 40 in 4.53 seconds at Lucas Oil Stadium. One day after benching a disappointing 21 reps in the bench press, Clowney made a strong case for the No. 1 overall pick.

Look for both to make their presence felt next season, according to coach Mike McCarthy.

Barrington, a seventh-round draft choice from South Florida, beat out Terrell Manning and was performing with aggressiveness on special teams before going down with a season-ending hamstring injury in Game 8. | Feb. 24, 2014»Read Full Blog Post(30)

What Chris Borland does best is not on display in shorts, in this setting. The instinctive Wisconsin linebacker who measured in at 5-11 1/2, 248 will look better on film than he ever will sprinting straight ahead and jumping.

Should there be any cause for concern? The 2014 combine workout went about as you'd expect for Borland.

If you have the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel App for iOS, for Android or for the Kindle Fire, you have the option of having breaking news alerts sent to your device. We know some readers love these notifications while others would rather their phones and tablets remain silent.

In the coming weeks, we plan to add more customizable options so you can get the alerts you want (and only those alerts). But to figure out what you want, we need your help.

Please fill out this short survey. We’ll incorporate your thoughts when we decide what features to add. We also plan to share the results of the survey with you. | Feb. 25, 2014»Read Full Blog Post

In another off-season Packers Podcast, Tyler Dunne and Bob McGinn of the Journal Sentinel discuss the NFL scouting combine, including prospects of interest, the Packers training staff, B.J. Raji and Ryan Pickett, James Jones and more.

Green Bay - As an exclusive rights free agent, safety Chris Banjo wasn't exactly free to shop his services around the NFL, but he is officially in the fold for the 2014 Packers.

Banjo indicated on his Twitter account that Wednesday was his birthday and he decided to spend it signing a tender offer the team must make to him if it wants to maintain his rights. The Packers later announced it.

Banjo signed a one-year deal believed to be worth the minimum, which is $570,000 for a second-year player. | Feb. 26, 2014»Read Full Blog Post(35)

Green Bay - Anytime neck fusion surgery is mentioned around the Packers organization it usually raises the hair on the back of the front office's neck.

In the case of DE Johnny Jolly, the potential for being cleared medically may not be as slim as it was with S Nick Collins and may be for TE Jermichael Finley.

The neck and shoulder issues Jolly dealt with at the end of the season and ultimately resulted in him going on injured reserve with two games to go in the regular season, were the result of a bulging disk between the 5th and 6th cervical vertebrae. | Feb. 27, 2014»Read Full Blog Post(90)

Yes, players and agents alike are celebrating a 8.13% increase in the 2014 salary cap, which according to a press release from the NFL Players Association, the cap is set at $133 million for the start of the new football year beginning March 11.

Few were predicting a $10 million increase from the $123 million cap in 2013, but after the NFL finished counting revenues and plugged them into the formula that guarantees the players their share of the pot, the number came in at $133 million. | Feb. 28, 2014»Read Full Blog Post(115)